Mama
by WinniUsagi
Summary: Baby Steven says his first word, and Pearl freaks out. Amethyst laughs. Greg and Garnet smile. It's all very confusing. (or, when Pearl meets Steven for the first time)


**A/N:** Because I'm a huge sucker for Pearl and Steven's mother and son relationship. I might do Garnet and Amethyst, too, depending on how well this does. Also, I'm terrible at naming things, as usual, so if you have a better title idea for this, feel free to let me know! Enjoy!

* * *

She couldn't believe she was doing this.

He was just a human. Greg's boy, _not_ Rose's. Pearl didn't see why they had to see him, especially since he was the reason Rose was gone. She didn't care if he needed her, because she had no intention of ever helping him.

Garnet and Amethyst had been visiting Greg almost every day for weeks now, and each time came back with nothing but positive feedback of the child, claiming Pearl should visit, too. She could see through their praise that they expected her to go, yet she refused every time, unable to accept the fact that Rose had given up her physical form for a delicate, soft, short-lived creature.

A _human._

And now Greg was bringing the child over so Pearl could see him.

Greg understood at first that Pearl didn't want to see the child, and hadn't even attempted to reach out to her nor ask of her whereabouts every time Garnet and Amethyst came over. It was Amethyst who suggested that Greg and the child visit the temple this time, and Garnet simply nodded, claiming that it was a good idea. Greg, not knowing any better and most likely sleep-deprived, went with it, thinking that if Garnet had no problem with it, neither would he.

Pearl thought it was a terrible idea. Bringing the child back only a mere year after the event, after Rose left - she couldn't even begin to describe her complete dislike of the concept.

" _Pearl, my Pearl,"_ Rose had said, " _You of all people know what it's like to stray from the norm, to be different. He'll be different. Accept him, love him."_

Anger bubbled in her once again and Pearl frowned, starting to kick the dirt with each step she took as she paced. Garnet shifted slightly, seeming to notice Pearl's sour behavior but didn't say anything, her covered eyes facing forward as she leaned back against the wall.

He was Greg's boy. He was a human. He wasn't Rose. She would never accept him, she refused to.

Pearl hadn't even met the boy, but had caught a glimpse at the small bed of dark curls atop his head once the pink light ended and it was confirmed that their leader was gone. Pearl had retreated immediately into her room with no intention of ever coming back, not wanting to ever see the creature that was supposedly the Gems' responsibility now. She emerged weeks later only to find Garnet and Amethyst, appearances and clothes different, leaving to go visit the child, inviting her along. She refused, the resentment still stinging inside her, and the two other Gems left without another word.

Pearl hadn't changed her appearance after Rose's death. She stayed in her veiled top, leggings and legwarmers in the attempt to keep Rose's presence, to remember what it was like when they fused and formed Rainbow Quartz. She wanted to keep Rose's presence for as long as she could, despite the fact that she was gone.

" _Accept him, love him."_

"Greg says that Steven's starting to learn how to speak, now!" Amethyst's cheerful voice interrupted Pearl's thoughts as the purple Gem hopped up and down by the warp pad, excited for the new arrivals. She was slightly taller from her last generation, when they had first met Greg, and had grown her hair to match his. Her clothes were different as well, now - they more matched her gem's color scheme with purple and black, and consisted of a shoulder strap that bothered Pearl to no extent. "It'd be so cool if his first word was 'Amethyst'."

"That is a rather complicated word for a baby, Amethyst." Garnet said, her forward gaze not averting. Her appearance had changed ever since Rose left as well - it was a more dual-chrome instead of solid black and magenta, along with slitted gloves.

Pearl's paces became faster.

He couldn't even speak. He couldn't even say simple words.

"Hello!" Greg's voice called out from the fence, and Amethyst turned and ran, excitement evident in her features. Pearl paused her pacing as she turned to the beach, watching the purple Gem run out.

"Pearl." Garnet said.

"What?" Pearl snapped, crossing her arms.

"Be nice."

The pink-haired Gem let out a small "hmph" as Amethyst appeared with Greg. The former rock star was holding a small pink-overalled figure in his arms, and Amethyst was cooing at it, her index finger moving up and down.

"Hey, you guys!" Greg greeted, a tired but happy smile on his face as he gestured down to the little being. "Sorry I'm late - this little guy's crying has been keeping me up a few hours at night."

"It's no problem." Garnet stood up, arms forward. "May I?"

Greg's grin widened and he leaned towards her, carefully handing the child over to Garnet. He then turned and pointed to the beach, backing away. "I'm gonna go get some bottles from the van in case he wakes up hungry."

The tall Gem nodded at Greg and smiled at the sleeping child. A small whine was emitted by the child, but Garnet "shh"ed it quietly, gently bouncing him and kissing his forehead before turning to Pearl expectantly.

"Pearl."

" _Let's get this over with."_ Pearl took a deep breath and walked over, staring down at the child in Garnet's arms.

Steven Universe's eyes were closed as he slept, a small pool of drool slowly forming at the edge of his mouth and dripping onto the sleeve of his red overalls. His dark hair undoubtedly matched Greg's, but the curls were perfect ringlets, just like Rose's. Pearl could feel resentment rising up again and nodded.

"Alright, I've met him. Happy?"

Garnet didn't move. "Hold him."

"What?" Pearl asked in surprise. "I-"

"Hold him, Pearl."

"I'll hold him!" Amethyst volunteered, and swooped the child from the tall gem's arms, a wide smile on her face. "Hey, l'il man! How much do ya wanna bet that your old man fell asleep getting your bottles?"

"I'll go get him." Garnet said and walked to the beach, leaving Amethyst and Pearl alone with Steven. Amethyst made quiet cooing noises as she bounced Steven, and Pearl watched silently, not taking her eyes off of the child.

"Ooh, Pearl," Amethyst turned to the taller Gem, smirking, "You should hold him. I think I smell a poopy coming on."

"Oh, no." Pearl stepped away, waving her hands. "I'm _not_ holding him."

Amethyst's smirk widened as she stepped closer, gesturing to the child. "C'mon, just for a little bit? I think he's waking up."

"Amethyst, _no-"_

The child began to whine again from the noises, his arms waving back and forth in front of the purple Gem's neck. Pearl glanced down at him and her blue eyes met his small ones, his scrunched-up, uncomfortable expression changing to one of starry-eyed wonder. He immediately lunged forward in Amethyst's arms, his arms moving towards the new and unfamiliar person, giggles erupting from his small mouth.

"Aw, see?" Amethyst smiled at the child, whose attention was entirely focused on Pearl, "He likes you. C'mon, hold him once."

Pearl glared at the baby, who continued giggling as he attempted to leave Amethyst's arms, reaching towards Pearl. She took a deep breath and leaned forward, hands open.

"Alright, give him to me. If he defecates on me, I swear, I'll-"

"Don't worry about it." Amethyst slowly handed the restless child to her. "He won't."

As soon as Steven was in Pearl's grasp, the child started giggling harder and moved forward, reaching for her face. Pearl frowned and pulled away, shaking her head. "No. Don't touch my face."

The child ignored her command and continued moving in her grip, his smile widening. "Ma….ma!"

Pearl blinked.

 _What?_

"Wait, _what_?" Amethyst's jaw dropped and she turned and ran towards the beach. "GARNET! GREG!"

Aware of the excitement he was causing, Steven laughed and moved his arms up and down faster, causing Pearl to let out a small shriek.

"Stop moving!" she said, pulling him closer to her as his overalls started slipping from her grip, "I'm going to drop you, otherwise!"

Steven ignored her again, latching his arms around Pearl's shoulders. "Ma...ma!"

Warmth and confusion flooded through Pearl as she stared at this child. He thought of her as his mother? Gems didn't have parents, and the concept of guardians related by blood was one of the human concepts that first confused her when she arrived to Earth with Rose. According to what they had observed, parents raised their offspring until they were ready to go out and raise their own, and the idea of dependency on another for common actions such as education was rather baffling to Pearl.

No. She was not his mother. Thanks to him, he would never have one.

"Look, I'm _not_ your mother-"

"Mama!" Steven interrupted her, smile wide and cheeks rosy with joy, "Mama, Mama!"

Before Pearl could reply, Amethyst, Garnet and Greg entered the temple, the shorter Gem leading them as she bounced excitedly.

"Steven called Pearl 'Mama'!" Amethyst exclaimed, "He said his first word!"

"Is that true, kiddo?" Greg smiled, gently ruffling the child's hair. "Did you say your first word?"

"Mama," Steven pointed at Pearl, his expression overjoyed as he noticed the increased audience, "Mama!"

Garnet smiled as Amethyst whooped, circling her fist in the air. "Yeah, Steven! Good job, l'il man!"

"I'm _not_ your mother, Steven." Pearl frowned at the child. "Your mother is-"

Steven disregarded Pearl's words and tightened his sleeved arms around her shoulders, snuggling into her chest with a satisfied hum. The white Gem's tensed shoulders relaxed as Steven settled in her arms, beaming as he looked up at her. The embrace felt painfully familiar yet different, and she wanted to continue being a part of it yet simultaneously break apart from it. She had planned to hate this child for what he had done, for whom he had taken away, but Steven's eyes had held nothing but pure love ever since they met, and she couldn't hate him for it, she just couldn't.

Who was he to blame for what Rose had done? Who was he to blame for the unrequited love she had experienced?

"I think it's sweet." Garnet spoke up, smiling.

"That's really funny, though," Amethyst teased, pointing a finger at Pearl, "Steven thinks you're his mom."

Pearl rolled her eyes. "He's only a year old, Amethyst, I doubt he knows the situation at hand."

Nonetheless, Pearl could not disagree that holding Steven made her feel as if all her worries had melted, as if nothing had mattered except for the radiant smile of this beautiful boy, this _child._ Love didn't come as easily to Gems as it did to humans, but Pearl seemed to understand it now, how Rose had seen humans and how she wanted the world to be.

She had loved Rose, and now she loved Steven. The two loves were of different sorts, but both just as strong in every sense.

Her grip tightened as she hugged him back, bouncing him gently. Steven burped quietly but then burst into a fit of giggles, snuggling back into Pearl's arms.

"Who's being all mommy-ish now?" Amethyst teased her again, but she didn't care now.

All that mattered was that Steven was happy.


End file.
